Redemption
by lilyxsnapex4eva
Summary: When Loki is deaged after the events of Ragnarok, Thor must help his brother pick up the pieces- with a little bit of help! Rated T for themes of trauma and torture. Will have lots of fluff and brotherly love. No slash!
1. Save Me

**_I_ 'm baaaaaaack!!!! :)**

 **It's only been around 5 years since I've written on , but after the longest hiatus ever, I have finally returned. *streamers and cake***

 **Some quick things before we begin:**

 **I do in fact plan on finishing Intervention. However, after not having updated it in a few years, I need some time so I can figure out where I want to take it. So in the meantime, here's another deaged!Loki fic for you! This one takes place after Ragnarok and before Infinity Wars. As of right now, IW isn't out yet, so there won't be spoilers (yay!). However, there are some Ragnarok spoilers, so be warned.**

 **The first couple chapters will be rather angsty and the ones following will have a bit more fluff. Honestly I'm partly writing this because the theories surrounding Loki for IW scare me a little :P**

 **I hope you enjoy!!**

Darkness

That's all he could see. He felt his head turning and his legs running in all directions, but moving made no difference.

There was only darkness

No scene to save him from his memories

The pain

The shame

The brokenness

Terror

Shaking

Help-

Loki shot up in bed, chest heaving and forehead drenched in sweat. His uncontrollable shaking eventually forced him to collapse onto his back once again. The dimly lit ceiling lended some stability to his chaotic thoughts as he desperately tried to slow his erratic breathing.

Piece by piece, reality set into the young prince's mind. He was on a ship with the whole of Asgard. Thor was king.

He was not on Sakaar

He was not with... them

He was safe. For the first time in what seemed an eternity, he was safe.

So why didn't he feel safe?

No matter where Loki went, no matter what he did, the horrors always seemed to follow. What strength he had left was being slowly eaten away by nightmares, panic attacks, and memories. He felt weak.

The young prince drew in another shaky breath. Tears slowly rolled down the sides of his face as he tried to regain himself. His hands gripped the brilliant green sheets that were draped over him. As tired as Loki was, he knew that sleep was no longer an option.

Carefully, Loki lifted himself out of bed. He winced as his bare feet met the cold metal floor. His loose black pants lightly grazed the floor as he walked towards the bathroom. Gazing at himself in the mirror, he was surprised at his overall appearance. He just looked so... tired. Normally bright green eyes seemed swollen and dull against deep, black circles. Tear tracks made pathways towards uncharacteristically wild and frizzy black hair.

And the scars. They were constant reminders of past terror. Loki tiredly gazed at his shirtless form with something akin to disgust. Jagged red marks etched themselves against pale white skin that had not seen the sunlight in years. He let out a forced, unamused chuckle.

"Well look at you..."

Minutes passed as he just stared, leaning on the sink to keep himself steady.

Weak.

Yes, that was the word.

Slowly he began cleaning himself up. He wet down his hair a bit and splashed some water on his face. Looking up again, Loki shrugged. He still wasn't the picture of perfect health, but all in all his little effort went further than expected.

With a flash of green, Loki summoned a pair of nicer clothes. He wore a simple, comfortable green tunic with soft black pants and knee high boots. Loki frowned. His appearance was alright, but he still looked so tired.

He waved his hand and a flash of green light made its way down his face and neck. All at once, he looked healthy and well rested. The prince grinned at his reflection. Being skilled in magic certainly had its perks.

Loki sat in the ship's surprisingly empty eating area, picking at his food with his face on his fist. He eyed the vegetables with disgust. Whatever food the Grand Master left on the ship was only just barely so.

Lost in his thoughts, the prince startled as someone sat down in front of him, rattling his plate of "food". Loki's head shot up only to be met with the lightly bemused face of his brother.

"Hello, brother."

Loki shot his now-king a glare.

"Thor."

Thor grinned, his one eye crinkling in pleasure. He picked up his silverware and began shoveling food into his mouth.

"Are you thinking about something? It's been a long time since I was able to sneak up on you."

Loki chose not to answer, instead focusing with sick fascination on his brother's eating spectacle.

"Yes, Thor, swallow first, chew later. That's how a king eats."

"What, you don't like it? This is delicious!"

"No, this is food only in the most generous use of the term."

"Then you're eating the wrong thing, try some of mine."

Thor pushed his half eaten plate of food at his younger brother. The once intact plate of various meats and whatever else was in complete disarray. Looking at it, Loki's eyebrows rose half in amusement and half distaste.

"Oh, no thank you. I would not deprive the king of his meal. Here, add mine to your pile."

He dumped the remnants of his plate onto Thor's and pushed the plate back to his brother with one finger. To Loki's surprise, Thor seemed less delighted at the prospect of more food and more concerned. The pair stared at each other for a moment before Loki broke the silence.

"What?"

Thor hesitated, weighing his words carefully.

"Loki... do not think I haven't noticed your... odd behavior. You use your illusions more often than not and you barely eat anything. I'm... concerned."

Loki's face went taut, if only for a moment. It was quickly replaced by as big a smile he could muster and a quiet chuckle.

"Brother, while I appreciate the concern, I do not know what you're-"

"Don't you think I can see past your lies by now? Heimdall can see it as well. He says your sleep has been fitful."

His face bore a mixture between frustration and sadness. In his exhausted state, Loki hesitated in his retort. His mind was foggy, so his typically quick wit was slow at best.

"I'm fine."

"Loki-"

"Even if I wasn't, why would you care?"

The venom in Loki's voice took Thor aback.

"You've said it before, you can't trust me. I'm as good as an enemy to you. I'm not truly even your brother! I-"

"Loki, don't."

Thor's quiet words momentarily stopped the trickster's rage. In a way, Loki was relieved. In another sense he was terrified.

In his weakness, he had no more energy to push his brother away. But he had no desire to speak of the horrors he had experienced.

The darkness

Them

Him

The biting, scratching, clawing, torture, horror, fire, shaming-

"Loki?"

He couldn't breathe. His chest rose and fell erratically but it was as if no breath reached his lungs. Tears welled up in his eyes and threatened to fall.

Screaming

Help me

Save me

"...Loki...?"

His brother's light touch ripped his senses back to reality. Loki flew up from his chair, knocking it over in the process. His breathing shook uncontrollably and his voice quivered.

"Don't. Touch. Me."

"Loki-"

"Leave me alone."

With that, Loki turned to leave. Behind him, Thor arose as well.

"Loki-"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Thor stood speechless, taken aback by his younger brother's rage. Loki took the opportunity and practically ran out of the room.

Hours after the incident with Loki, Thor stood on the bridge of the ship, gazing out at the endless expanse before him. Although it served as a constant reminder of Asgard's demise, the stars had a calming effect on the new king. He would often sit and stare for hours to clear his mind.

The stars were doing him no favors today, however.

"You seem troubled, my king."

Thor continued to stare as Heimdall walked to his side. The Guardian gazed into space as well and the pair shared a moment of stillness. Sighing, Thor tore himself away to face his friend.

"Yes... my thoughts turn to Loki... he has not been himself since Asgard burned. I tried talking to him about it today, but..."

Thor sighed once again.

"I'm worried for him. Yet I know I cannot trust him completely."

Heimdall gave his king a slight smile.

"Give it time. He may yet still tell you. You are the last person he has left."

"You sound like Mother."

At the mention of Frigga, both fell into solemn silence. Thor looked back towards the window, immersing himself in the stars once again.

"Queen Frigga was very wise. She would have been proud at what you've become."

"Thank you... I wish she were here."

"Aye, we all-"

Suddenly, Heimdall stopped. His brow furrowed and his gaze deepened.

"Heimdall?"

The Guardian turned towards Thor urgently.

"It's Loki. Someone is in his room with him."

In the dark of Loki's quarters, a cloaked figure stood watching the young prince sleep fitfully. Loki's head tore itself back and forth as he moaned in his sleep. Sweat already drenched his pillow and sheets as his breathing quickened.

Under the hood, old, cracked lips smiled maliciously. Slowly, withered fingers pulled a small, metal staff from his belt. A glowing blue gem lit up the room.

The figure pointed it at Loki's head.

In his troubled state, Loki was easily pulled from his sleep.

The prince's eyes widened in recognition and horror.

"NO-"

The gem emitted a flash of power, enveloping Loki's body in its eerie brightness. Searing pain stabbed every inch of his senses as he screamed as he hadn't in years. He shook uncontrollably as the light died down. Every part of his body seemed to be slowly shrinking in on itself.

Just as the gem finished it's outpouring of power, Thor and Heimdall burst into the room. With no inhibitions, Heimdall punched the figure, causing him to fall to the floor. The staff was flung to the side, illuminating the face beneath the cloak. It was a wrinkled, unimaginably old face with white markings on it.

For a moment, the face gasped for breath and tried to speak. But in the next it sighed its last and completely relaxed, a frail body ill equipped to handle even a punch from the Aesir.

Had Thor stopped to look at the face, he may have recognized it. But he was otherwise occupied with his writhing, screaming brother.

 **Thank you for reading! Follows and reviews get you chapters and cookies!**


	2. The Longest Night

The Longest Night

 **Hello again! Thank you so much to all who followed, faved, and reviewed this story! It means so much :)**

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"Brother... BROTHER!"

Loki vaguely heard his brothers voice echoing through his subconscious. For a moment he forgot the events of the past five minutes. All of his memories were wiped clean and replaced by raw pain. There wasn't a part of him that didn't hurt beyond what he could handle.

It was the Void all over again.

That... that, Loki could remember vividly.

Somewhere, from deep inside of him came a scream with an intensity he didn't know he had. It felt as though pain was being voiced for the first time.

Every moment he begged for freedom.

Every moment he longed for the pain to stop.

Every loneliness.

Every pain.

It was all voiced in that one scream.

Oddly enough, it seemed to help a bit. Loki's borderland consciousness tipped towards reality. The black in his vision faded into the color blue as his eyes met his brother's. He could feel every muscle trembling in excruciating pain, and sweat dripped down his face. Loki felt the oddest sensation as he lay there shaking, as if he were slowly getting smaller.

The young prince clenched his jaw as he continued gazing back at his brother. Unwelcome tears welled up in his eyes. His chest rose and fell with each ragged breath that caught in his throat.

"Brother, it's alright... we're going... we're going to... do something- Heimdall, do we have any more healers?"

"No, my king. As the goddess of death, Hela had no love for the healing arts. Our healers were the some of the first she did away with. Banner has been acting as Head Healer in the meantime."

"Get him."

"Yes, your majesty."

With a quick motion, Heimdall slung the dead body over his shoulder and picked up the small staff. Then he gave a slight nod of his head and hurried out of the room, leaving the brothers alone. Only the sound of Loki's quickened breathing was heard. Thor gently placed his hand on his younger brother's forehead.

"Is there anything I can do?"

Loki heard the forced calm in his brother's voice. In any other situation he would have laughed, as Thor's voice sounded much higher now than Loki thought possible. He knew it was because of stress, but it just sounded so funny. But the hand on his head felt crushing due to his currently sensitive skin.

"Stop... touching me... hurts."

Thor drew his hand back. He looked so helpless. His eyes began to well with tears. Loki closed his eyes and sighed.

"Stop... looking at me... like that."

"You're in pain."

"Yes... but there's nothing... we can do about that... till... Banner... ah, Norns..."

Loki groaned and pulled his knees to his chest as the pain momentarily intensified. His stomach turned, and Loki held his breath as a wave of nausea hit him. He could feel his Seidr trying to heal him, but knew it was fighting a losing battle. The war going on inside of him was exhausting.

Thor knelt next to the bed clenching his fists on top of the sheets.

The spell stopped, and Loki completely relaxed, gasping for breath. He could still feel himself shrinking, an odd sensation to say the least. But Thor didn't seem to notice yet. It was quite welcome, as Loki didn't feel like explaining the extent of what was going on.

In a little bit. He would explain a little later.

For now, he made the split second decision to try and get up. As he sat up, Thor put a huge hand on his brother's chest. Loki hissed in pain.

"What did I say about touching me?"

"You should not try to get up. You're not well-"

"Laying on the bed hurts. I'll be in less contact with everything if I stand. Move."

Thor stared at his brother for what seemed an eternity. Then, drawing his hand back from Loki's chest, he offered his arm to help his brother stand. Loki took it, and once standing, began to shakily pace around the room.

Thor stood as if paralyzed, his eyes fixed on his brother. He hated seeing his brother in pain.

"You're staring."

"What do you want me to do, Loki? If I can't currently help you, then I'm useless."

"Since when are you so concerned? When the Monster attacked me on Midgard, you paid me no heed."

"He was the only one who was able to stop you from destroying Midgard! And you acted as though you were fine-"

"Then what about Sakaar? You left me being electrocuted with an obedience disk in my back."

"You were about to betray me, there was nothing else I could do to get out-"

"You were going to LEAVE ME THERE!"

Thor took a step back in surprise.

"... What...?"

"You... were going to... leave me there on that HELL... with HIM. You were going to leave me there. To be... you didn't ask how... I got to where I was... I... why... why can't I... think..."

Loki's breathing quickened as he held his head in his hands. His thoughts swirled in chaotic patterns that made him dizzy. He knew he had said far too much for his own comfort, but he felt as though he couldn't stop.

Thor stepped towards his brother. There was so much running through the king's mind. It seemed that there was much about Loki's life he didn't know. Communicating honestly had never been Loki's strength, but Thor wondered how much of it was Loki's not telling or if some of it was his not noticing. He wanted to understand. He wanted to help.

He wanted his brother back.

"Loki-"

At that moment, the door swung open, revealing Heimdall leading a very wary Bruce Banner. The doctor had a bag of various gadgets in his hand, which he set on the bed upon entering. Thor nodded to his friend.

"Bruce."

"Hey. So, what's going on, Heimdall said it was an emergency?"

Loki had since uncovered his face and was standing as straight and still as he could.

"It's not quite an emergency, a bit dramatic, don't you think?", he muttered.

Thor ignored his brother's comment.

"Loki was shot with energy from a gemstone. He says he's in quite a bit of pain."

Bruce blinked for a moment with eyebrows raised. When Heimdall told him to come, he was expecting something a bit more... normal. Maybe like the flu.

 _Bit different than Calcutta._

"Okay... uh, I don't know what I can do but I'll try. I'll need you to lay down though, Loki."

Loki immediately did as Banner told him to do. He had no more energy to resist or retort, and while standing kept him away from contact with anything, it proved to be utterly exhausting. Laying down was both a relief and an added challenge. He groaned as he lowered himself onto his back.

Bruce took his glasses out of his bag and pushed them up the bridge of his nose.

"So... um, what are you feeling?"

"Pain everywhere. Can't think straight. Sick."

Loki's voice came out as a whisper, causing Thor to cringe. Even Bruce was surprised at how weak the god's voice was.

"Okay, well, I might have something for the pain, but it'll take a second to figure out what's actually going on-"

"I can save you the trouble, I know what's going on. Can I just have something for the pain, please?"

Both Thor and Bruce frowned at each other.

"Brother, how do you know...?"

"It's magic, I've read about the spell and seen it in action. Banner, can I please have something?"

"Uhm... yeah, just... tell me what's going on and I'll give you something based on that."

"Can you not just give me something general?"

"Loki."

Thor's eyes narrowed with frustration.

"Just tell us. We are trying to help you. Stop pushing us away."

Loki sighed, his eyes welling up. The pain was beginning to intensify again and the all too familiar war between the spell and his Seidr was making him feel sick. He took a shaky breath in.

"It is... a spell for deaging. I don't know exactly how far it will take me back, but usually it brings the victim to about four or five years old. My guess is that it will take me to the Asgardian or Jotun equivalent. Usually it's instantaneous, but my Seidr is trying to heal me, so the process is... being drawn out."

There was silence. Both Banner and Thor processed the revelation quietly. Bruce began rummaging in the bag for something for the pain. If he were honest he had no idea what most of it was- he had mostly figured it out through some trial and error. He had stumbled upon the medicine in question when he gave it to a warrior with a headache. Bruce grinned to himself slightly. The woman didn't feel anything for about a week.

Finding a vial of purple liquid, Bruce took it out and handed it to Loki.

"I guess you do look a little younger," the doctor mused.

As Thor looked on, he saw that Banner was right. Loki had a slightly more youthful look to him. He looked like he did when the Bifrost was destroyed, with eyes slightly wider.

Loki snatched the vial and downed it, propping himself up on one elbow. Then, he collapsed onto his back and handed the empty glass back to Bruce.

"I half expected you to throw it on the ground. Most of the people on this ship do that."

The doctor's comment earned a smirk from both Thor and Loki.

"I'm no savage. Besides, it's much more fun with a mug or something bigger. Much more satisfying."

Loki sighed. Though the elixir had not done anything yet, hopeful relief was in sight. Thor looked on in slight worry and took a step closer to the bed as Bruce placed the vial back in his bag.

"How long will this take?"

Loki paused for a moment.

"I... I don't know..."

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Loki lay in agony. It had been hours since he drank the elixir from Bruce. While it had helped for a little while, he had thrown it up not too long after. Apparently his ever shrinking stomach did not favor having extra to bear.

Since then, it had been a constant battle of keeping the pain at bay and trying not to throw up. Thor and Bruce remained in the room with him, doing what they could to keep him comfortable. Honestly, Loki barely noticed them anymore. His mind constantly swam with pain and the flashbacks that it gave him.

Thor noticed his younger brother becoming more and more unresponsive. It was even growing hard to tell when the pain intensified, as the prince just lay there and took it rather responding.

To Bruce, Loki looked to be around eleven or twelve. He had no idea what that would translate to in Asgardian/Jotun years... to be perfectly honest he had no ideas about most of it. He had entered a world he barely understood, a world of magic, and space, and about a million other things that stressed him out. Bruce hated not knowing. He did amuse himself, however, by silently giving himself the title of "space doctor". Tony would appreciate that.

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Thor watched his brother vomit once again. Bruce left an hour or so ago in order to tend to other patients. With Loki's previously quiet behavior, Thor hadn't been too worried. There was little to nothing either of them could do to help Loki, so not having Bruce there was not much of a hindrance.

But soon after the doctor left, Loki began throwing up to the point where he had fallen to the ground and stayed there for around half an hour. His tiny frame shook uncontrollably, the exhaustion showing on his youthful features.

Once Loki finished, he collapsed onto the floor beside the can Thor had gotten for him. Thor inched closer, moving to put a hand on his little brother's back, but hesitating to keep from causing any more pain.

"Loki?"

Loki's shaking increased as quiet sobs reached Thor's ears.

Thor couldn't take it anymore.

Through this whole process, he felt he could do nothing to comfort his brother. But seeing the absolute smallness of the tiny god... he had to do something.

He gently put his hand on his brother's back. His hand covered basically its entirety as he rubbed it gently with his thumb.

Loki flinched for a moment, but relaxed almost instantly. Then, with what little strength he had, he pushed himself up and wrapped his arms around Thor's neck, sobbing into his shoulder.

Without hesitation, Thor wrapped his brother in a hug.

"It's... it's... a-almost... over..."

Loki's halting breaths whispered in Thor's ear. He knew it wasn't a question, but the king nodded and pulled his brother a little closer.

"Yes... it's almost over."

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Thor gazed at the tiny figure in the bed. Loki's raven black hair was far too long for his young face, it's length now well beyond his shoulders. His face tensed in exertion, when all of a sudden, he relaxed entirely. He sighed and his eyes closed.

Thor reached for his brother's hand.

"Loki?"

His younger brothers eyes opened. Thor remembered his look from when they were very young, as Loki looked now. It was one of relief.

"It is done."

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 **Thank you so much for reading! Follows, favs, and reviews are very much appreciated!!**


	3. The Beginning of a Song

**Warning: potential triggers ahead (panic attacks, hints at torture, general whumpish stuff)**

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Loki squeezed his eyes shut. Everything felt far too big. The bed, his clothes, everything. Even his brother's hand around his, comforting though it was, felt out of place. He swallowed back a wave of nausea and panic as the young god felt bile rise in his throat.

He felt his brother squeeze his hand. The added pressure made his head swim, every thought in his head dissolving and blending together into a chaotic mess. Loki felt as though his mind were rebelling, like it was its own separate entity that he couldn't control. Thoughts and memories came unbidden into his consciousness. Loki suddenly became very aware of every part of his body. Even with his eyes closed, he could feel his smallness.

It all felt so very wrong.

Loki's inner world was interrupted with the quiet opening of his door. His eyes opened in slits to see Bruce's brow furrowed in... was it surprise? Curiosity? He couldn't tell.

The doctor gently shut the door and walked over to the brothers.

"So, is everything... done?", Banner asked. There was a hesitancy to his voice that betrayed his discomfort. Thor nodded slightly, his eyes still fixed on his brothers small, still face. It was odd, seeing him like this. Thor remembered Frigga saying when they were young that Loki was small for his age, but he never realized how small he truly was. Had Loki been standing, he barely would have above Thor's knees. His eyes looked entirely too large for his face, drooping though they were.

Thor gave a slight nod. He continued squeezing his brothers hand, not moving his eyes away from Loki's face.

Bruce, too, was transfixed by the tiny person in front of him. It was difficult to believe that the Loki before him was the same cruel god who almost destroyed New York. Banner was not entirely sure what to say, so he went with the safe, "doctor-y" option.

"How are you feeling?"

Loki shut his eyes. "Sore... tired... little sick."

His voice came out much weaker than he expected it to. The panic increased and threatened to overtake him. All he wanted was to fall asleep and forget...

"Do you want us to leave so you can rest a bit?", Bruce gently questioned.

Loki paused for a moment. What do I want? The question seemed so foreign. It had been an eternity since someone asked him what he actually wanted.

Without thinking deeper about it, he nodded his head. Loki's eyes were still closed as he heard a pair of footsteps fading as they walked. For a moment, the pressure on his hand lingered. But with a final squeeze it was released and Loki heard the final, heavy steps fading away.

His mind swirled.

 _Alone._

 _Again._

 _All alone._

 _Alone._

The word repeated over and over again in his mind.

"Stay..."

It sounded like begging, he thought, ashamed of himself. But when he opened his eyes again he saw there was no one to hear his plea.

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 _"Hello, little prince."_

 _Loki's remained gazing at his knees on the floor. His face felt frozen, the mixture of tear tracks and caked blood causing his skin to feel tight. The tricksters whole body felt tight and worn._

 _His eyes closed and he allowed a quiet, ragged exhale to escape his lips. How long had he been there? Weeks? Months? He didn't know. Days melted into each other as they crawled onwards._

 _Anxiety built in his chest._

 _"I said hello, boy."_

 _Heavy footsteps suddenly began plodding towards him. Each thud increased the panic in Loki's mind as he kept his mask of indifference. But as his eyes met with the giant boots of his captor, his resolve melted._

 _"Hello, hello, hello, hello."_

 _He repeated it over and over again. Desperation. That's what it was._

 _A large finger reached under Loki's chin and guided his face upwards. Thanos' eyes met Loki's. The god attempted to regain his composure and set his jaw as tears ran down his cheeks. But Thanos just smiled._

 _"Hello, child."_

 _Loki smiled back. He chuckled, a forced, unnatural sound._

 _"Monster."_

 _Thanos sighed and knelt down to Loki's level, though even then he still towered above the dark haired form._

 _"No, not me. Who did your father tell you stories about at bedtime- the ones you had nightmares about? Who were the ones you were taught to hate, who your own brother swore to destroy? Who is the real monster?"_

 _Loki closed his eyes._

 _"... I am..."_

 _His own words sank deep into his being. And he was afraid._

 _"That's right."_

 _Thanos smiled. He released Loki's face and it drooped towards the floor again. The broken god had nothing in him to hold it up anymore._

 _He knew what was coming next._

 _Thanos caressed the back of Loki's head as he leaned in. "Bring me the sceptre."_

 _Loki's breathing increased in sharp, chaotic intakes. Terror overtook him as he mechanically rose. Every step was agony. His body screamed in pain. Though the trip was only a few steps, it felt an eternity._

 _There it was again, on a stone table. The sceptre. The mind stone._

 _Loki nearly fell as he stood in front of the table. He gripped the stone with clenched teeth. Reaching for the handle, his hand quaked uncontrollably. He hated it. He hated the glow it gave, the shape of it, everything._

 _"Hurry up, boy."_

 _He grabbed it. Again. Using it to keep him steady, he slowly turned. It clunked on the stone ground, reminding Loki of the hollow sound of an execution. The axe swinging, meeting the ground..._

 _He wished it was._

 _Thanos smiled. Slightly behind him stood a green figure, shorter than Loki. Her eyes gazed at the ground though her face faced straight onwards. With arms crossed, she was a picture of forced indifference._

 _Loki struggled, his legs becoming more and more pained. Finally they gave out, a cry coming unbidden from his chest. The sceptre clattered to the floor. Loki just lay there staring at it. His eyes fell out of focus. All his limbs shook as his panic began to suffocate him. Tears fell down his face. Nausea rose from his stomach as he vomited._

 _Thanos took the staff from the ground. "Don't worry, you'll clean that up later." With that, Thanos pushed the point of the sceptre into Loki's chest._

 _His mind was instantly in chaos._

 _His thoughts were not his own._

 _He choked as his body continued to vomit._

 _Every thought was laid bare, every memory exposed._

 _Stop._

 _STOP-_

"STOP!"

Loki woke up screaming. His entire body quaked and he leaned over the bed to vomit. His stomach burned for lack of food, but he couldn't stop. Even after he was done being sick, sobs wracked his thin frame. He clenched his teeth.

Eventually the attack subsided and he was left utterly spent. How was it he could wake up more exhausted then when he fell asleep?

Loki sighed. His thoughts were still swimming, but his new 'deaged' state helped to anchor him in reality. With another slow intake of breath for his pounding heart, he sat up. Every muscle groaned as he did so. He felt as though even his veins were sore.

Loki needed to move. It had been a few days since the... "event" happened. Loki was getting antsy. He had been laying there with nothing to do for too long. Thor and Bruce came to visit a couple times a day, but the visits always ended quickly. Life on the ship was quite busy, after all.

Besides, after such an attack, Loki just wanted his brother. He hated to admit it to even himself, but perhaps after reconnecting on Sakaar it would be welcomed?

Loki swung his legs over the bed. His eyebrows raised at the height from him to the floor. It felt like such a long way. Slowly he lowered himself to the ground and the strain of using his limbs made him wince.

Everything looked even bigger, the furniture looming over him almost menacingly. Loki took a shaky breath and shut his eyes. He hid his face in his hands. He had to get out.

Keeping his eyes to the floor, he began walking towards the door. While the doorknob was just a bit too high for Loki to reach on his own, he was able to open it with his seidr. With a small flash of green, the door swung open.

Thankfully the hall was empty for the moment. Loki tiptoed out, taking care to lift his now much too large shirt so he didn't trip.

The ships bridge was relatively far away. After around ten minutes of walking, Loki was already exhausted. He moved so his back was against the wall and then slid down so he was in a sitting position. Breathing became an issue as his heart began to pound again.

The tiny god crossed his legs and took his head into his hands. This was a dumb idea. He counted each breath, focusing on his inhale and exhale.

1...

2...

3...

4...

5...

"Hey man."

Loki startled, almost hitting his head on the wall in his surprise. He was met with the craggy face of Korg. The Kronan wore a lightly pleased expression as he stared down at the the prince. He stepped forward as he introduced himself, much to Loki's annoyance.

"My name is Korg, I'm a rock gladiator, though I haven't gladiated in a week or so. I also do revolutions, so if you ever need a revolution I'm your Kronan. This is Meek-" Korg took a moment to shake the purple bundle in his right arm. It squeaked in protest, "- he's a giant bug. He used to have scissors for hands, but he lost to a rock. Heh heh. Little bit of humour there for ya. I happen to notice you are quite small and should not be left alone."

Loki paused before responding in order to make sure Korg was fully done. "Yes, Korg, I know who you are. I'm Loki, I-"

"Yeh, you seem pretty low key."

Loki rolled his eyes. "No... Korg, Loki. Loki. It's my name. I'm Thor's brother."

Korg's eyes widened in recognition. "Ohhh, the one with the goat helmet and the green sparkles?"

"Yes... that would be me... " Loki pursed his lips together. Conversations with Korg were always rather exhausting.

"Oh, well it's nice to see you again. Forgive me for not recognizing you, you are much smaller than before. You are... I heard a story from Sakaar about a man who's body grew younger as he grew older until he was a teeny, tiny baby. Are you going to-"

"No, Korg. I was made this way by..." Loki didn't want to say the name. "It doesn't matter." Slowly he rose, his back still against the wall.

Korg continued to stare, his expression unmoving. The three were silent for a moment as Loki stood there panting. Then Korg gave a shrug. "Well, I'm heading to the bridge, if you want to come."

"May as well, I'm heading there anyway," Loki mumbled. Korg wouldn't have been Loki's first choice as a companion, but having a giant rock creature with him did make the prince feel a bit safer.

He pushed himself off the wall. Unfortunately he forgot about his far too long shirt and tripped, falling like a log. Loki's face flushed in embarrassment. He felt himself lifted up and put back on his feet by a giant, rocky hand.

"Your dress is very nice, but it seems to be a bit big."

Loki groaned.

"It used to fit me, and it's not a dress."

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 **Thank you so much for reading! Also, a massive thank you to all of you who have faved, followed, and reviewed! After watching Infinity Wars (yes, I am still emotionally damaged), I wanted to add in a bit of a happy portion to this story. Korg was honestly one of my favorite parts of Ragnarok, so it was really fun adding him in.**

 **Watching Infinity Wars totally changed the direction that I want this story to go in O.O So let me know if there's something you want to see!! Feedback is always much appreciated!**


	4. Familiar Faces

**Hello again! Sorry for such a long break between updates, my husband and I moved across the country again so life has been a little crazy, haha! I'm hoping to update this a little more frequently, along with posting a chapter to Intervention (wootwoot!).**

 **A quick note to all the reviewers, sorry for not responding! I cannot figure out how to respond on the app, so until I do, I'm just gonna respond at the end of this chapter like I used to :) Honestly I kinda like that format anyway, but what would y'all like?**

 **As always, thank you so much for everyone who has followed, favorited, and reviewed! It means so much! Please don't hesitate to let me know what you think of this story, if there's anything you'd like to see, of if you just wanna say hi!**

 **Anyways, ON TO THE STORYYYY**

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Loki followed Korg to the bridge in silence. The Kronan continued to blabber on about his stories from Sakaar, some of which earned squeaks from Miek. Whether the creature was agreeing or adding, Loki had no idea. He honestly had no desire to hear any more about Sakaar

 _It is the collection point for all_

 _lost and unloved things. Like you. But here on Sakaar, you are significant. You are valuable. Here, you are loved._

When he first arrived in Sakaar, Loki had been taken by that phrase. It had given him hope. He even saw himself staying there, had it not been for the Grandmaster...

Finally, he and Miek made it to the bridge. The prince's thoughts were interrupted as he scanned the room for Thor. This was no small feat, as the room was a flurry of activity. It seemed as though the whole of Asgard was crushed into this one tiny space, much to Loki's annoyance. The fact that He wasn't much taller than the average Asgardian knee didn't help matters any. He scrunched his face in annoyance.

"Kronan, do you see my brother?"

Korg, who was easily taller than most people in the room, quickly spotted the new king. Before Loki could stop him, Korg hoisted the prince up so he was sitting on a rocky shoulder.

"There he is- talking with the scrapper and his Midgardian friend."

He hated to admit it, but Loki was relieved to see his brother. Oddly enough, the throne seemed to suit him. Thor looked almost regal despite his attire being the same as it had been in Sakaar. He was looking at the Valkyrie, laughing at something she had said. Bruce looked on in vague amusement before he tapped Thor's shoulder, seeming to bring him back to a more serious conversation.

Loki sighed. Maybe Thor would be a good king.

Korg's voice brought Loki out of his thoughts, "Do you want me to bring you over to him?"

"Yes, please. I would prefer if I was off of your shoulder, however."

Korg shrugged, causing Loki to almost fall to the floor on his own. A giant, craggy hand reached up and wrapped around the prince. Much to his horror, though, Korg tucked him into his arm much like he was doing with Miek. Loki struggled in his grasp.

"No, you giant oaf, put me down, I can get there without your help!"

Korg shrugged again. "Your dress is too long and your legs are too short. I'll get you there way faster, won't I, Miek?"

Miek trilled in response and waved his tiny legs. Korg began to walk. Loki continued to struggle, gritting his teeth. His legs kicked at nothing but air as the trio lumbered towards the viewing screen, where Thor was.

The one benefit of being carried by a giant Kronan, despite the humiliation, was that people didn't get in his way. Loki gained some odd looks from the older Asgardians, so he stopped struggling and chose instead to try and hide his face. He had no desire to be questioned about his new form.

They made it to the viewing screen. The stars outside twinkled as they had the past couple weeks. The Valkyrie gazed at them while Bruce and Thor talked to each other in hushed tones. Their backs faced Korg, Miek, and Loki, all of whom stood there unmoving. Heimdall was the first to notice the trio and gave a small bow of his head upon seeing Loki.

"My prince."

The guardians piercing yellow gaze unnerved Loki only for a moment before he nodded in response. He kept his stare to the ground, suddenly wishing he was back in his quarters.

Heimdall's greeting pricked at Thor's attention and he spun his chair around to face Korg. His eyes widened in both surprise and amusement upon seeing Loki being held by Korg. A grin tugged at the corners of the king's mouth as he rose out of his throne.

"Greetings, Korg, Miek. Brother, It's nice to see you up and about! How are you feeling?"

When Thor noticed them, Loki had begun to squirm again. Summoning the most desperate look he could muster, Loki locked eyes with his brother.

"I would be better if this oaf would put me down."

Thor's grin widened, his bright blue eyes crinkling at the edges. "It's good to see you haven't lost your manners, little brother. Korg, thank you for delivering my brother to me."

Korg grinned. "No problem, man. Hey, will you be needing a revolution any time soon? Miek has come up with some ideas that I think could be going somewhere."

Thor's eyes continued to twinkle though he frowned. "Well... seeing as how I would be starting a revolution against myself, I think I'll pass..."

"You sure, man? What about that fellow with the yellow eyes? We could start a revolution against him."

Thor glanced over at the guardian, whose eyebrow was cocked in amusement. "Who, Heimdall? Nah, I don't think-"

"THOR!"

Thor laughed, "Yes, alright, you can put him down now, Korg."

Korg shrugged, bending down and letting the prince drop to the metallic floor. Loki knocked a couple small rocks loose in his struggle and they tumbled down after him. He held one in his hand, his eyes wide in horror.

"I... I seem to have-"

Korg shrugged yet again, straightening to his full height. "No problem, man. You can keep it. Put it in the ground and grow a Korg tree. Heh heh." With that, the Kronan turned and walked through the sea of people. The brothers watched after him as his head bobbed away like a buoy.

"That's... not really how it works... right?" Loki stared at the stone in his hand.

Thor bent down to Loki's level, his voice feigning horror "Well, I don't know for sure... but when two Kronans fall in love-"

Loki's tiny face scrunched in disgust and he hurled the stone at Thor's chest. "Shut up!"

Thor laughed, but soon his face relaxed into a more concerned expression. "In truth, though, how are you feeling? You've been through quite the ordeal."

Loki's gaze was steady. Although shaken and still a bit uneasy from the events of the morning (he assumed it was morning, at least. It was hard to tell while being in space), he was physically feeling a bit better. The soreness was gone, for the most part. His seidr was a bit worse for wear, but he could feel his magic returning to him little by little.

His mind was what plagued him. Somehow this new form made him feel much more vulnerable and exposed. Memories from his time in the void and on Sakaar tortured him night by night. And with little sleep and the constant ache of nausea in his stomach, panic attacks came more often than not. All at once he wanted to be strong, to be independent, to not be alone, to be held, everything... He didn't really know how he was.

May as well save face for the moment.

"I'm fine... I could do with a haircut and some new clothes, though." Loki held up his arms, the far too long sleeves of his shirt trailing on the floor.

Thor grinned. Seeing his now very little brother in such an oversized garment was both comical and adorable. The big green eyes that gazed expectantly back at him filled the new king with hope. Perhaps now things could truly go back to normal.

"Well, I don't know about the clothes, but I can help you with the haircut. Do you wish to walk or...?" Thor trailed off, not wanting to scare his brother off or bruise his pride.

Loki sighed. His pride demanded he walked but he was so tired. So with an eye roll, he nonchalantly responded, "You may carry me if you wish. Besides, I'm tired of tripping over my shirt."

Thor's grin returned. With a quick motion he scooped Loki up and stood to his feet. Loki put an arm around Thor's neck and leaned into his chest. Somehow it felt safe...

"And who's this little guy?" The clear voice of the Valkyrie caused Thor to turn, taking Loki with him. Her deep brown eyes smiled, framed by her wavy hair. As she spoke, she pointed at Loki with the bottle of alcohol she held in her hand.

"Oh, this is-"

Before Thor could finish, Loki grabbed the bottle poking at him, brought the opening to his mouth, and took a long swig. The Valkyrie's eyes bugged out of her head. Before she could tear it from his little hands, Loki held the bottle out to her with disgust.

"This is terrible..."

Spluttering, she took the bottle back. "Well... you're underage! And how would you know-?"

"Valkyrie, please, I know good drink and that's not it."

She shot Thor a look, her mouth agape and eyebrows raised. "First off, my name is Brunnhilde you little-"

Thor took his opportunity to interject while slowly backing towards the exit. "Now, now, let's not swear at children, Brunnhilde." With that, he made his escape, leaving the Valkyrie with mouth agape.

"Was that really necessary, brother?" Thor muttered.

Loki gave a half grin, wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve. "Oh yes. I'm very satisfied."

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Loki sat in a white metal chair in his room, his cheeks burning. Upon arriving in the room, Thor immediately noticed the 'sick' at the side of the bed. Loki had totally forgotten about it and was mortified upon entering. Thor set off to cleaning the floor as Loki silently watched.

"I'm sorry..."

Thor turned from his task to look at Loki, rising to one knee. "For what? There's nothing wrong with being sick. Why didn't you tell me?"

Loki hung his head, staring intently at the floor. "I don't know..." Obviously a lie. He cursed himself inwardly. As soon as it came out of his mouth, he heard how unbelievable it was. He was getting sloppy.

Thor just gazed at his brother, his face unreadable. As much as he wanted to get the truth out of Loki, he suspected it wouldn't be a wise move at this moment in time. So he quietly finished his task.

"So, haircut?"

Loki looked up at his brother, a hesitant grin growing across his features. "Yes, please. You should find tools at the sink."

Thor shook his head, pulling a dagger from his boot. Loki's eyes went wide as his brow furrowed. "Thor, you're not cutting my hair with that thing. You'll kill me."

Thor just grinned, moving so he was behind Loki. He pulled out a cloth and ran it along the blade, kneeling as he did so. "Trust me brother, you'll prefer it to the tool that was used to cut mine. How short do you want it?"

Loki didn't answer. His breathing forced itself from his chest in erratic bursts of inhales and exhales. He shook uncontrollably with eyes glued to the window to his left.

"Thor..."

The king frowned, looking first at Loki, then following his gaze to the window.

There, blocking seemingly every star in the galaxy, towered the largest ship Thor had ever seen.

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 **Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnn! Yay for cliffhangers ;)**

 **Reviews:**

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	5. Before The Storm

**Hi, all! As always thank you for your continued support of this story via reviews, follows, and favorites! I love you all muchly, it means the world :) Originally, my plan was to cram a bit more into this chapter, but it just ended up being longer than I expected. But we're actually into plot now, so yay!**

 **My tentative plan is to update this, at the latest, every other week. That way I'll be able to update Intervention as well (though that one should be coming to an end relatively soon, so I'll be able to update this more often).**

 **Allons-y!!**

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Time froze.

Loki's heart pounded mercilessly in his chest, yet his lungs found no air.

His eyes took in everything and nothing all at once. He saw nothing but the grotesque ship looming over him. The edges of his vision blurred.

Every survival instinct he had wordlessly screamed for him to run, to escape, pulsing in his eardrums like a cannon. But he was frozen. The only link he had to reality was a name.

A name that haunted his waking and his sleeping.

A name that always crouched in the back of his mind, waiting to strike at any and every opportunity.

A name that tortured him, even without being attached to a physical being.

A name...

Thanos.

Loki stiffened, eyes still wide and transfixed. All in a moment, every memory from the Void came flooding back to him. Even looking at the outside of the ship, Loki could pinpoint every place he had been whipped, broken, shamed, tortured...

He remembered everything. He could almost feel the Titan's eyes boring into his mind as he stared. But a realization suddenly hit him at full speed, causing his stomach to turn and his head to spin.

Everything he and Thor did to save Asgard was for naught if the Mad Titan got hold of the ship.

He would kill at least half of the entire ship.

He would most likely hurt Thor, putting him through the same merciless pain he put Loki through.

He would take Loki again and-

The Tesseract.

Something akin to an odd mixture of hope and horror washed over Loki. While the Space Stone was certainly a possible bargaining chip, it was a terribly costly one at best. Loki knew the Titan's plan, his life goal, and taking him even a fraction of a step closer to completion could be eventual suicide.

Every thought swam through the prince's mind at breakneck speed, tainted by panic. He barely noticed Thor stand up behind him and slowly walk towards the window. The king muttered some sort of question about the ship, but Loki wasn't listening hard enough to distinguish the words. He vaguely heard metallic, running footsteps sound frantically behind the closed doors of his chambers. Hesitant voices echoed off the walls, muffled by his closed door.

Each voice was a reminder of someone he and Thor had saved.

Each pair of steps auctioned off into twos, who may live and who may die.

With each sound of life, the stakes rose higher and higher.

Finally, Loki found his voice.

"Thor... Thor, we have to- we have to evacuate the ship."

Thor turned around, his brow furrowed.

"What? Why, we don't even know who-"

"Thor, you big oaf, do you really think I would say that if I didn't know who it was?!"

Loki's face twisted in a mixture of panic and rage as he jumped down from his seat. Thor's mouth opened slightly.

"Loki... who is in that ship...?"

Before the prince could answer, Bruce and Brunnhilde plowed through the closed door of Loki's quarters. The brothers whipped around to face the pair. Brunnhilde came through first, followed by Bruce, who was panting rather loudly. Oddly enough, he was the first to speak.

"Thor... there's this... this big-" his eyes widened upon seeing the ship through the window, "-oh, you've seen it already."

The Valkyrie was quick to interject as she stepped forward, eyes wide with intensity, "Thor, I've seen that ship before, we don't stand a chance if we don't get everyone out now."

Thor continued to frown, his eyes piercing. But after just a few seconds of processing, he strode forward, scooping Loki up as he passed by. The little prince didn't struggle against it, choosing instead to wrap his arm around Thor's neck.

"Has the ship hailed us yet?"

Brunnhilde followed quickly behind, the doctor trailing a few steps after in an attempt to catch his breath.

"No, not yet, but it's only a matter of time."

Thor nodded in response to Brunnhilde. Once in the hall, he scanned the expanse before him, quickly finding what he was looking for. Each metallic hall had some sort of shipwide intercoms scattered randomly throughout. Thus far they hadn't needed to use it, but the present seemed the perfect opportunity.

He found one, but just before Thor pressed the only button on the small box, he hesitated. What was he going to say? The Asgardians had just escaped one terror only to fall into the hands of yet another...

"Who is in the ship?"

The question went unanswered for an eternal minute before Loki's quiet voice responded.

"... Thanos."

That was all Thor needed to know. Every bedtime story about the Mad Titan flooded back to the king's mind- his love for Death, his goal to eliminate half the universe, the Infinity Stones...

He pressed the button.

"People of Asgard... this is your King. Doubtless, you have all seen the ship in front of us. We know the being inside to be hostile. To save as many as possible, we are going to evacuate the ship. All who wish to stay and fight may do so... children board the pods first."

As he spoke the words, Thor could envision parents clinging to their children as they stared at the giant, menacing ship. A sense of dread flooded his mind with guilt coming soon behind. Although he knew there wasn't much he could have done differently, somehow he still felt responsible for their coming across Thanos.

Meanwhile, Loki started at his brother's last sentence.

"Thor... I'm not leaving you..."

Without missing a beat, Thor moved to transfer Loki to Brunnhilde. Realizing what was happening, the prince fought as the Valkyrie awkwardly wrestled him into her arms.

"No- NO! You don't understand- NO- he'll kill you! Thor, STOP-"

"No, YOU stop! Loki, I will not lose you for the THIRD time, do you understand me? I was supposed to protect you and I failed TWICE, I will not do so again!" He looked up at Brunnhilde, "Make sure he gets in one of those pods. Then make sure everyone else gets in, and you follow, do you understand? You will be leader for the time being."

The Valkyrie nodded, the only thing betraying her unreadable mask was her slightly shaking voice.

"Yes, your majesty."

Thor nodded.

"Thank you. Bruce, you stay with me."

As he walked away with Bruce trailing behind, Loki continued to fight as he and Brunnhilde raced in the other direction. Her arms were like iron, partly due to his weakened state. Tears welled up in his eyes with frustration and fear.

"Let me- let me go! You have to let me go, the oaf is going to get himself killed or... or..."

Taken.

Loki couldn't bring himself to say it.

Brunnhilde's grip did not loosen as she continued her way towards the pods.

"I'm not going to disobey my king, not even for you, lackey."

Loki gritted his teeth in frustration. But suddenly, he had an idea. The pods were in the lower level of the ship, so they would have to take an elevator. Perhaps if he could get himself free just as the doors were about to close...

Slowly, a plan formulated in his mind. He just hoped that he would have enough energy to complete it and get back to Thor.

Sure enough, Brunnhilde stopped at the first elevator they came across. She pressed the lowest of the two buttons aggressively, punching it over and over again in her efforts for speed. Loki rolled his eyes.

"Don't hit it, just press it gently. And you only need to press it once."

The Valkyrie gritted her teeth and tightened her grip on Loki, earning a strangled yelp as she held him around his stomach.

"Shut up, lackey."

Loki rolled his eyes again, continuing to struggle but preparing himself for his plan.

"You and Thor would be perfect for each other...", he mumbled under his breath.

Behind the pair, a small crowd of panicked Asgardians had gathered. Most of them were parents with children, each adult wearing a similar grim expression to each other. The children looked more dazed than anything. Most likely, they didn't understand the full gravity of the situation.

As Loki continued to gaze at the crowd of children growing behind them, his heart sank lower and lower. Norns, let them escape, make him let them go... He shook his head.

Suddenly, the door opened. Brunnhilde bolted through the opening, ushering the crowd to follow after. Loki inhaled. This was his chance.

Conjuring a dagger, he deftly poked the end into her forearm. She yelped, momentarily freeing him in order to shake the knife out of her arm. Loki knew he had very little time before she was after him so he quickly mapped a way through the crowd. He ducked under the legs of the adults as he ran as fast as his little legs could carry him.

Thankfully, no one tried to stop him, though he could see Brunnhilde trying to wade through the incoming wave of people. Her profanities died away as Loki ran, his reflection mirroring his frantic movements. He was careful to lift the hem of his shirt so he wouldn't trip on it.

The prince's leanings toward self preservation shrieked at him like wolves in pursuit. Terror beat in his skull but he forced it to motivate him onwards. Empty lungs whined in pain as Loki continued to run, his fear stealing what precious breath he once had. All he could do was run.

He had to get to Thor.

He couldn't let his brother endure what he himself had once endured.

Groans eked their way out of his throat as he pressed on, blessedly stopping when he came across the bridge. Ignoring his pained chest and his weak legs, he quickly dove through the maze of legs in search of his brother. Loki could hear Thor from somewhere ahead of him.

"...Do we have enough weapons for everyone? Enough armor? Bruce- ah, Norns- Bruce, where are you-"

With that, Loki suddenly stopped. He should probably be careful to stay out of Thor's sight for the time being. Otherwise, he would probably be sent back to the pods with a more "able" chaperone. So, rather than running to his brother, as he wanted to do, he hid in the crowd. It was uncomfortable. Most everyone was rushing from one spot to another to get weapons or armor, so Loki was constantly getting jostled and stepped on.

But a crackle over the intercom stopped everyone dead. Loki closed his eyes as a familiar voice reached his ears.

"Greetings, Asgard. I am Ebony Maw, child to Thanos, the savior of your universe. Shortly, my father, brothers, and sisters will board your ship. Evacuate who you will- we will not shoot them down." There was a slight murmur from the crowd at this, but was quickly silenced. "There is a certain object of great value to Lord Thanos aboard your ship. He can feel its presence and the presence of the... one who carries it."

Loki's blood froze in his veins. Could the Titan truly feel his mind, even after all this time?

Ebony Maw continued, "You have five minutes to evacuate whoever you want. Make peace with whatever forces you will, for Lord Thanos has come. Count yourself honored to be among those freed at his hand."

With that, the audio went silent.

Not a voice spoke.

Every eye turned to Thor, who stood looking at the ground, face dazed and chest heaving.

Slowly, almost mechanically, Loki stumbled out of the crowd to face his brother. The second Thor saw him, the king's face fell. Anger sent sparks winding down his fingertips. Loki just continued to walk up the stairs, each step exhausting his reserves even more.

As he came to the top of the stagelike area, he turned to face his people. Not for the first time, Loki ignored his brother fuming next to him. Instead, he took a deep breath and spoke.

"People of Asgard... you have heard the voice of Ebony Maw. Soon, you will meet the others of the Black Order. I will... I will not lie-" here, he turned his face towards Thor, "it will not be pleasant. In my own experience, they bring Death wherever they go... But if we die, we die with the highest honor. Tonight, we feast in the halls of Valhalla with those that have gone before us. We will see the Allfather and... and the Allmother smile on us again. We..."

Loki couldn't continue. Seeing his brother's distress, Thor placed a hand on his shoulder. Looking to his people, he set his face.

"Tonight... we fight for Asgard. Ready yourselves."

The room again burst into flurry of movement. With his people otherwise occupied, Thor bent down to his brother's eye level. His eyes weren't quite as furious as before, however there was a subdued anger mixed with sadness that brightened his already piercing eyes.

"Are you ever going to listen to me?"

Loki chuckled softly, looking down at his shirt, "Probably not... do you expect anything less?"

The edges of Thor's mouth curved up slightly as he shook his head. "Of course not..."

Loki sighed.

"So... do you have a plan?"

Thor cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head.

"Uh... fight?"

Loki rolled his eyes, his mouth slightly agape. Thor couldn't help but laugh at his brother's action. It was something he had seen Loki do in his older form many times. Back then it drove him slightly crazy, but now it was just endearing. Loki scrunched his face in response.

"And see? This is why you need me, brother." Loki paused, craning his neck to search the room. "Where might our good doctor be?"

Thor raised his eyebrows, pointing a finger lazily towards the other side of the room, near a few haphazard boxes. Bruce was standing over an array of weapons laid out on the floor. With his typical 'slightly lost' expression, he handed out weapons to the Asgardians that came up to him.

"Oh, Banner? He's right over there near one of the weapon stations. Do you need him for your plan?"

The trickster prince smiled grimly.

"Yes... it's the only thing that might work and it will provide me no lack of satisfaction if it does."

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 **Reviews:**

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 **Thank you all for your reviews! Love you all!**


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